Prayer for the Day

by Revd Canon David White

27th April 2025 - 2nd Sunday of Easter

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years
to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms.
How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced;
how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered;
how many hopes have been buried…
But our efforts have been in vain.
Now, Lord, come to our aid!
Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace.
Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say:
"Never again war!"; "With war everything is lost".
Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.

This is a a prayer, or to be more accurate, part of a prayer of Pope Francis, who died last Monday and whose funeral and burial took place yesterday. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 he came to the papacy from Argentina and chose the name Francis to honour St Francis of Assisi – the inimitable ‘il poverello’, ‘the little poor man’. St Francis was a constant proponent of peace who is said to have greeted all he met with the words, “may the Lord give you peace”. Pope Francis learned well from his saintly namesake that peace is from God, but at the same time we have to be carriers of peace wherever we go. A timely reminder at this time when we remember the resurrected Christ appearing to his disciples and saying to them and to us all: "Peace be with you".